


Grand Admiral Thrawn and Dr Mellun

by Lady_Kagewaki



Category: Star Wars
Genre: F/M, sweet romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-21
Updated: 2020-09-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:20:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26581297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Kagewaki/pseuds/Lady_Kagewaki
Summary: When Grand Admiral Thrawn takes a crew to a manufacturing base a disaster pushes a bright young physicist into his arms.
Relationships: Thrawn | Mitth'raw'nuruodo/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 18





	1. Part 1

Grand Admiral Thrawn stood proudly on a command walkway on the bridge of the Imperial Star Destroyer Chimaera, observing his crew working away in the pits at his feet. The swirling chaos of hyperspace engulfed the ship while splashing uneven flickers of light across the dull gunmetal. He considered all the details and moving pieces of the plans his crew were working to carry out. He pursed his lips in thought and realized he needed to talk with one of his crewmembers. “Senior Lieutenant Lomar, get me Dr Mellun.” 

“Sir, yes, sir!” responded Lomar. He turned back to his console in the communications section of the crew pit and smiled to himself as he reached out directly to Dr. Tara Mellun. 

In a quiet café elsewhere on the ship Dr Mellun enjoyed a frothy milk-caf drink someone had recommended to her the week before. She sat alone at a table with the caf to her left and a pad of flimsiplast and an old fashioned graphite writing tool to her right. On the pad were the results of a casual brainstorm of various technical plans. Her communicator beeped and a content smile curved her lips. “Mellun” she responded with her sweet, soft Wild Space accent. Unlike some other Wild Space accents she did not have a twang. Her voice was a smooth as honey lilt. Her voice had a way of putting one at ease with a mere greeting.

“Dr Mellun, the Grand Admiral requests your presence on the bridge” said Lomar.  
She half sighed knowing she couldn’t take her caf with her but said “Oh, very nice! I’ll be right up!...um…thanks” she said still unfamiliar with naval jargon. 

Lomar stifled a laugh. Tara reminded him a lot of his little sister and he whispered into the mic  
“You can say acknowledged, Dr.” 

“Oh, right” she whispered back. At full volume she said “Acknowledged Lieutenant!” then ended the call.

“Interesting” said Thrawn from right behind the communications officer. Lomar winced as he had not realized the Grand Admiral had approached. “She has not yet familiarized herself with etiquette?”

“Well, sir…I reached out directly to her communicator, she may not have realized similar rules applied” replied Lomar, honestly. 

Thrawn gave a subtle yet sharp nod “Thank you for working with her on this. Though she is a civilian contractor she should understand the basics of this environment. It will serve her well on future projects within the Empire.” 

“Yes, sir” said Lomar, understanding an unofficial order when he heard one.  
Thrawn nodded and made his way back up to the command walkway and surveyed the bridge as they headed towards their destination. 

Everyone understood Thrawn’s interest in Tara Mellun was not obviously a romantic one, but rather an interest in grooming her, and revealing her greatest talents for the good of the Empire. This habit of taking on unofficial proteges was well known and Tara Mellun appeared to be the next in line for this role. She was not a conventional Imperial Officer, but a sweet young lady with an unexpected skillset. She had advanced degrees in physics with specialties in superspace & extraordinary environments. She was assigned to the Chimaera by Seinar Fleet Systems as she had created the original plan for the TIE Defender. The craft, which was Thrawn’s pet project, had gone under many revisions and changes since then, but she was the source of the distinct design of the Defenders hyperdrive. Though it needed practical changes Thrawn wanted the creator at his disposal and involved in the project team onboard. 

The crew was surprised at the juxtaposition of Tara’s gentile demeanor and the deadly weapons she had created. It swiftly became apparent she was able to do advanced calculations in her head, earning her the title of the Human Calculator. She was often allowed on the bridge to double check calculations against the systems and found a variety of minute, but significant errors. Additionally, and perhaps because of her upbringing, her perspective was unique and she was able to offer innovative solutions to a variety of processes and engineering challenges that would pop up throughout a typical working day on an Imperial Star Destroyer. Thrawn valued her a great deal. 

Overall, the crew was very fond of Dr. Mellun. They knew she was more than capable and also took delight in the breath of fresh air she brought to the cold stuffy Star Destroyer. She was bubbly, surprisingly young, and for many she was a welcome reminder of the comforts of civilian life. 

Tara made her way through the long silvery dark hallways of the Chimaera nodding and smiling brightly to each person she passed. She found the lift that would bring her up to the bridge and enjoyed pressing the buttons with childlike delight. 

Tara was likeable, but also had a reputation for being a bit odd. She had been born into an extreme fundamentalist religious group in Wild Space. Only with her hidden steely determination and ruthless focus had she made her way off world and into the greater galaxy. Though it had not been an easy road, she had not let go of her sweetness and no matter how she tried, her naivete. She had shed her clan’s beliefs but did not have the standard human socialization growing up. She was likeable, but quite simply did not know how to make friends.  
The TIE Defender. It was the final catalyst that brought her freedom and independence. The very first prototype was unveiled in the landing bay of the Chimaera two days prior. The Grand Admiral, Governor Pryce, and a few other serious stone-faced officers clad in black and olive green uniforms lined up to view it. Dr Mellun was in her black utility jumpsuit with Chimaera patch proudly displayed on her shoulder. Her black brown hair was very long, and braided down and folded up toward the base of her neck. She was not in the military and thus was allowed some flexibility with her appearance and grooming. As long as she was clean and neat no one could complain. And no one did. She was a pretty girl with natural charm. 

When the tarps were pulled away from the craft her chest filled with pride and her smile spread from ear to ear. Everyone politely clapped, except for Dr Mellun. She clapped her hands together in front of her chest. Her eagerness to touch the TIE, her idea-come-to-life, was bursting at the seams. She bit her bottom lip and sheepishly slid her large green almond shaped eyes up to the Grand Admiral who barely turned his head to meet her eye. A few of the crew standing by swore he winked at her, but that was just one of many rumors that swirled around the ship regarding the two resident eccentrics.You see, the crew of the Chimera “shipped” the sweet Dr and their Grand Admiral. The doldrums of deep space flight had created this little fantasy that everyone onboard enjoyed.

Later in the same day during designated “late” hours Dr Mellun went back to visit the TIE, starry eyed and proud of their collective accomplishment. There were a few lingering Stormtroopers, standing by the doors, and a couple of landing bay crew cleaning and straightening the various cords and materials that were tossed about throughout the busy working hours. While busy at their various tasks, they noted the tiny woman approach the ship, but came no closer than the line of officers had come earlier the same day. She held her hands behind her back and gazed at it and smirking and smiling to herself. No one had been allowed near the craft during the ceremony as there was really just a reveal and a kind of unofficial ceremony. 

A young male landing bay tech absently pulled some back up TIE arresting hooks into a spiral and watched the doctor from a distance. The Grand Admiral arrived and approached Dr Mellun and she smiled up at him. The tech tried to keep his smile to himself, but a colleague approached with a maglift for the magnetic cable hooks and noted the scene. The second tech bent over and helped the first heft the cables onto the lift and whispered “They’re totally getting together.” 

“I dunno” said the first. He whispered conscious of the echoes in the vast bay. 

The second tech shrugged. “Who knows” he responded in a whisper as they got shoulder to shoulder arranging the cables. “Maybe they’re having a secret affair already?”

They saw the Grand Admiral extend a hand toward the prize craft and nodded his head. He said something to Dr. Mellun and her eyes lit up like it was Life Day. She cocked her head in caution and Thrawn nodded just barely and she ran with a skip off towards the craft and examined it closeup. The calm admiral followed her in a more measured pace. 

“Nah” said the first tech “Their body language isn’t too intimate. They keep their distance.”

“But you hear them chat, right? All tech stuff, but still. They connect. They at least enjoy each others company. They look at each other special-like, no?”

“I don’t know about that. I think people are just letting their imaginations get the better of them. Life can be dull, but…” he looked over and watched as Tara placed a hand on the metal and dragged it along the underside with a bright wide smile and a bit of awe in her eyes. “Didja know she was a widow?” the other whispered. 

The first tech grimaced and nodded. “Yeah, I had heard. Experienced woman” he chuckled. “That would give a lady confidence to be with an older man.” 

“Plus,” said the second tech whispered extra quiet right into the first one’s ear “Maybe since they’re both oddballs they’ll get along.” They looked at each other and he shrugged.  
The two young men put their hands on their hips and surveyed their work, with a few glances over towards the Dr and the Admiral. 

From across the landing bay Tara’s giggle erupted as she popped open the cockpit of the craft and she looked down at Thrawn standing patiently at the foot of the ladder. She was wide eyed and overjoyed. 

Thrawn twisted his mouth trying hard to suppress a smile at her reaction but ultimately failed.  
“Sir! It’s just gorgeous!” they heard her say in her lilting accent. The wide-eyed Dr climbed down the ladder and hopped off the last step, a few strands of her hair coming loose from her braids. She giggled and Thrawn’s face had returned to the unreadable expression as she tucked a few wavy curls back behind her ear.  
***  
Back in the present, Dr Mellun made it up to the bridge just in time to see the ship exit hyperspace. “Grand Admiral” she said as she arrived. 

Thrawn turned to greet her and explained “Dr Mellun, we have arrived at our destination.” 

“Oh! Excellent!” she said a bit breathless. “You mean…” she leaned in cautious and quiet, uncertain of who knew what. She lifted a hand to her heart shaped face to cover her whisper “…the secret base?” 

Commodore Faro glanced over, smirked at Dr Mellun’s caution and the patience the Grand Admiral had addressing such matters. She was also convinced that the stern lines of the admiral’s face softened when he looked at Ms Mellun though others dismissed the idea that their brilliant leader could have any affections for a silly girl. Faro was squarely on team “Th-ara” and saw no so no reason Tara couldn’t be both brilliant and silly.

The Grand Admiral nodded, seemingly not acknowleding her child like behavior. “Yes. The Speartip Installation is a small, temporary location where we can develop and manufacture the specialized prototype parts for the Defender. I would like you to accompany the visiting officers for inspection. Afterward, I would then like your thoughts. You may speak freely on the bridge about this, but not elsewhere.”

She looked around at all the busy people and back at the Admiral. “This is all very excitin’! Will we be takin’ a shuttle?” she asked, eagerly. 

“Yes. The station is rather small and does not have direct docking facilities for a Star Destroyer.”  
She was clearly pleased and looked off to the side, flirtatiously sliding her eyes to the white clad Admiral. “May I sit near the winda’, sir? I do enjoy the sight of the stars.” She stole a glance out the wrap around viewport. 

“Certainly” said the Admiral with a hint of pleasantness. Each officer at their consoles struggled to stay serious, and others let their smiles spread easily across their faces at Tara’s innocent request. They saw the stars day in and day out and most of the crew had become inured to the majesty of the heavenly bodies that surrounded them. It was rare for anyone to be so excited about the stars, but Tara seemed to bring that excitement back for a few of them that day.  


Lomar stifled a chuckle pretending to cough earned a raised eyebrow from the Admiral.  
“That reminds me, Dr Mellun,” he spoke quietly to her. “I have mentioned it before, and I do not want to have to repeat myself.”

Tara knew what he was going to say. Her face looked pained and she looked deeply ashamed. “I know, sir, I am so very sorry. I didn’t expect to be called up here. We didn’t have any meetin’s with the team scheduled, nor a one-to-one so…” she trailed off just as quietly. 

“Perhaps you should just not wear the perfume while on the ship” he said a bit of irritation in his voice. “It is rather distracting, especially in the most pivotal decision making area on this Star Destroyer.” His tone softened. “This is not an issue around military regulation, but one of simple professionalism.” 

She nodded, dropping her chin, and looked up to meet the Grand Admiral’s stern expression and looked him dead in his blazing red eyes. “I am so very sorry, sir. I will take that advice.” She seemed rather deflated but did her best to hide her feelings. 

He was not readable at all, but to say he was satisfied with her response would be inaccurate. No one in the crew pits could hear what they were talking about, but it was clear he had to use his authority over her. Smiles faded. They could not forget they were Imperial troops on a large, deadly ISD. They were not onboard to laugh and giggle. They were there to patrol the galaxy and keep order. 

Thrawn returned his gaze to the crew pits and then opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again. He looked back at Tara. Commodore Faro swore she saw a flicker of hesitation, which melted immediately into the focused resolve she recognized. Thrawn said to Tara “I feel it would be a good time for me to have a caf. Would you like to join me?”

Tara’s face softened and the light came flooding back “Of course Grand Admiral. I was actually going to have a cappuccino just as you called me up here…” Her bright voice faded out of earshot as they walked off toward the bridge’s refreshment area. 

A few hours later the boarding party took a Lamda class shuttle to the small landing bay of Speartip Station. It was the Grand Admiral, Governor Pryce, Dr Mellun, four others from the TIE Defender project management team, and Thrawn’s personal guard of 2 Stormtroopers.

Little did they know a small rebel cell had discovered the station and covertly planted thermal detonators throughout the station. The devices were all over the station and the timers were ticking away. Tick. Tick.

The group was greeted by the station Commander and escorted them to the most vital areas and chambers. They watched small assembly lines, and old-fashioned tables where specialized craftsmen and women carved and assembled specialized parts by hand. There were also droids of all kinds and types of beings Tara had never before encountered, and was afraid of offending them. She was afraid but she didn’t let her nerves show, and did her best to make everyone of them know she was glad to be there and meet them. 

Dr Mellun was fascinated by the small pieces that fit together and had some questions she asked the workers. They seemed to appreciate her interest and allowed her to hold and examine some of the small parts. She was happy to learn hands on instead of just via her datapad and three-dimensional models. 

Tick. Tick. Tick. 

The project managers became more intrigued once Tara proffered up some questions but Governor Pryce was beginning to get irritated. Without any in-depth technical knowledge the situation was very dull for her. She felt threatened by Dr Mellun for a number of reasons and had decided she did not like the girl. 

Thrawn was pleased with the result of bringing Dr Mellun and liked how her inquisitiveness inspired the rest of the project team. He did not have much to add during the visit but observed and filed some details away in his mind always adding and adjusting his plans. 

The Governor seethed. She had requested to come along, eager to be attached to this project. This insipid girl isn’t going to steal my glory she thought, feeling a murderous rage burn in her stomach. This is going to be my glory. My partnership with Thrawn will solidify my influence in the military. With a Grand Admiral in my pocket I will be able to grab a hold of security for Lothal and perhaps use it as a springboard to the Core Worlds. This girl must go… She narrowed her eyes at Tara as the young dr. smiled at an alien craftsman. 

Tick. Tick. Tick. 

The group decided to return to the landing bay satisfied with what they saw and learned. Pryce knew the Grand Admiral rather well and noted how he had stolen a single glance at Dr Mellun twice throughout the visit when the idiot girl was busy focusing on some underling on the assembly line. A sickening thread of anxiety and envy wove through her belly. I don’t have romantic designs on Thrawn, but I don’t want him distracted from my needs. Pryce’s fists clenched as she watched Tara giggle like a twit at some moronic quip and eliciting smiles from their hosts as they walked on. 

Tick Tick…Click

An explosion rocked the station knocking a few of the project team and Tara to the ground. They swiftly got to their feet and a security guard came running around the corner and yelled “The hallway is collapsed. You can’t access the landing bay.”

Thrawn came to the front of the group and with a cool authority asked “Where are the escape pods? Do you have enough for everyone?”

“Yes, of course Grand Admiral. We are well below maximum capacity today. The closest pods are this way, hurry, follow me, please!” The group immediately ran to a hall of flanked both one and two seater pods. Everyone ran towards a pod. Thrawn waited to ensure all his crew was secure before he took one at the end of the hallway. He stepped one foot in and his eyes landed on Dr Mellun and Governor Pryce approaching a two seater. He ducked into his pod and sat down.  
Pryce saw Thrawn enter his pod then ducked into her round pod entrance. She then turned around to Dr Mellun who was right behind her and and bit out “I am tired of you tagging along everywhere! Away with you!” then shoved a shocked Dr Mellun back away from the pod then sealed the door and shot off. 

Tara swept her vision around the length of the hallway and saw pods on each side burst off into space just as another explosion rocked the station. Fire licked around the corner into the hallway where she stood. With a heavy dread she realized she couldn’t get to the next bay of pods with all the fire in the hallways. There was another muffled explosion in a far part of the station and the gravity suddenly gave out. She shrieked and thought perhaps she was experiencing vertigo as she watched her feet lift off the floor. She was consumed with fear. _They’re all gone. I’m all alone. _The force of another explosion, closer to the hallway flung her body in a uncontrolled whirling circle until she felt a grip on her wrist and saw a long fingered blue hand had gotten a hold of her. She had been flung towards Thrawn’s pod at the very end of the hallway. “Admiral! Ya still here?” she said confused, relieved, and yet still terrified all at once.__

__Thrawn yanked Tara close to him, and she saw he still had a grip on the doorway into his pod. He pulled her close to his chest and pulled her fully inside settling the two of them into the seat of the cramped pod. She curled up on his lap to keep out of the way of his limbs. The door automatically shut and with Tara on his lap he stomped onto the release pedal on the floor. One final massive bang filled their porthole window with fire and the quaking of the station rattled the tiny pod before they shot off into open space. Tara let out a short screech of terror. Gravity on the cramped device kicked in and Tara felt a sudden force of gravity pressing her into the Admiral as they flung out into drifting piles of debris._ _

__As the pod drifted away they both waited for the thrusters to kick in so they could fly it right up to the Chimaera landing bay. With bated breath they listened to the initial thrust die out and then a clunk, a whirr, and nothing._ _

__The explosion from the bridge of the Chimera looked devastating. The crew watched in horror as the structure burst apart section by section while it was engulfed in fiery red flame. Karyn Faro gazed in horror as she watched her colleagues and commanding officer perish in the darkness of space. “No!” she gasped. She immediately turned to her crew “Scanners, sweep the area of any signs of life!”_ _

__“Yes ma’am” came a young man’s voice from the pit._ _

__“Lomar, search for any SOS signals or otherwise” she ordered._ _

__“Yes ma’am!” he shouted back already on the job._ _

__She took a deep breath and approached the viewport. “Helm bring us as close to the debris as we can safely be and scanning crew I expect you are sending out probe droids for a close up look at the scene.”_ _

__As confirmations and quick updates came back to her she worked on hiding her fears._ _

__“Ma’am!” came a young woman’s voice from the scanning pit. “There are escape pods present, ma’am!”_ _

__“Excellent” said Faro glad for such a fast response. “Details?”_ _

__The young woman shifted her cap and read the schematics as they poured in. “There are only a couple beyond the debris that I can read ma’am.”_ _

__“Beyond the debris?” questioned Faro._ _

__“There is a great deal of interference, ma’am. I am working on distinguishing the materials from any of the pods which may be disabled.”_ _

__“Disabled? Why in heavens would they be disabled?” asked Faro in surprise._ _

__“Yes ma’am. The station seems to have been outfitted with an old model of escape pods. Cramped, and known for being glitchy. It is very possible there are people aboard pods which are just lost among the debris.”_ _

__Faro looked out upon the cloud of twisted metal and clouds of gas. “Thank you” she said distantly then snapped back to attention. “Get back to work crew. Grand Admiral Thrawn is still out there. We must bring him home.” She silently considered the implications._ _

__Tara got a hold of her shaking rattled self with a few deep breaths. She had no space in her mind to be worried about propriety nor her physical closeness to the most senior officer in the sector. She got herself under control and did her best to return to her etiquette dedicated self. She first let go of the Admiral’s uniform. She noted he too was taking a few deep breaths. She had gripped the fabric of his white tunic during the commotion and realized she was curled up in a ball on his lap. She tried to sit up, but realized she only had so much room to do so. They were in a one-seater. She looked up at him while she smoothed out the fabric she had gripped. There was only about a single hands width of space between their faces. She swallowed. “Thank you so much. You saved my life. Thank you. But also, my apologies, Grand Admiral…” she was struggling to put her mind back in working order after what had just happened._ _

__“Of course. No need to apologize, Dr Mellun” he said as though nothing had happened. “The Chimaera will likely scan for life and find us one way or another. In the meantime we need to find out the reason why the power is not flowing.” He gave her a task to focus on instead of the danger they found themselves in._ _

__She nodded in acknowledgment noting how comforting his voice was and how unique his accent sounded to her. “Well, it seems our pod is malfunctionin’. No funny smells so I don’t think anything is burned or short circuited. Optimistically I suspect something draining the power.” She looked past his head and the headrest towards a small lightbulb on the wall behind them which, if it had been illuminated, would have been red. She did her best to look at the display in front of them and realized with a sigh and an “Oh dear…” that all the displays were black. And looking out the window again she saw that they were floating around in the debris of the station. “Oh gawd” she gasped._ _

__“The Chimaera will find us” he said adding an intimate warmth to his voice._ _

__But she paid him no mind. She realized that none of the systems were online. Including life support. He knew a fair bit of engineering and was saying what he did to comfort her. She let the worry knit her brow, closed her eyes, and bit her lip. She allowed herself a moment of mourning. With Thrawn it was always about what he was not saying. She nodded. He didn’t say they would find us alive..._ _


	2. Part 2

Tara looked back at the lightbulb behind the headrest. She saw that it was set into a small square panel. She climbed up a bit to get a better look she had to get closer to him, cheek to cheek.

“Sorry Admiral…”she said distracted, reaching with her left hand to see if she could pop open the panel. “Looks like a circuit box of sorts!”

  
“Can you access the mainframe from there?” he asked.

“I don’t know, but I do know the generator must be back there. There isn’t anywhere else on this pod it would fit. So if there is merely an interruption then it must travel back here before power flows to the rest of this little craft.” She tried to pop it open with her fingernails under the indent handle, but it was stuck. “Damn” she swore in her native language.  
She felt Thrawn wriggle a bit and she pulled back as far as the space allowed to see what he was doing. He was rummaging in his pocket then he held up a short metallic blue object with a white logo of a few white rings and a scattered pattern of spheres.

He handed it to her and said “CEDF cssin’s’et.”

Her eyes begged the question.

He translated “A Chiss Army Knife.”

“Ah! She took it in her hand and saw that there were tiny useful tools folded into the blue enamel handle. “Fascinatin’!” she said. “So efficient!” She popped out a short flat tool which she used to pop open the panel. She reached back wrapping her right hand this time around across his face “I’m sorry Admiral” she said as she worked half blind with her cheek pressed up against his.

“There!” she said with a smile. The panel slid open and her face fell. “They really put this panel in an awkward place.”

“Is it burned out?” he asked.

“No, actually, no it’s a better situation than that” she said.

“Your voice implies that it is not indeed better.”

“Weebels. Weebel maggots. The babies. Those gross lil power suckin’ bugs – OHGAWDITTOUCHED MY HAND EEEW!”

“Do you want to switch?” he asked a bit irritated.

“No” she calmed herself “I got it.” She flipped open a long blade and pierced the largest larvae that had attached itself to one of the power cables. “Ohohohohoho” she shuttered. “That bugger was a juicy one.”

Weebels were a common insect found throughout the galaxy and were a common irritation. While they were easy to kill they could do a lot of damage if not found in time. They were long and many legged and spent their larvae days very vulnerable and attaching themselves to power cables sucking up the energy across the galaxy. The males were devoured after mating so Thrawn and Tara were keeping their eyes open for the mother. Though not poisonous to humanoids the idea that they had a third passenger in the cramped space did not sit well with either of them.

Thrawn’s eyes went wide when he heard the larvae unsticking off the cable and the subsequent splat on the floor. “Sounds…large” he said with no lack of disgust.

  
“Yes sir” she said with a nod and a swallow. “These are not yer garden variety desk console weebels. They…” she stabbed another and he heard it plop on the ground behind him. “are the large variety one finds in a shipyard.” A third went splat on the floor. “Kay, I don’t see anymore in there…” she said as she examined the wires.

Thrawn offered up “Now that we have found the reason the power flow was interrupted we can at least get the air flowing working and maybe the comm unit.”

“Yes, sir” she replied. Thrawn felt her body relax a bit. “Looks good. Looks totally doable. I don’t know much of what I can do from here or how many more of those things are elsewhere in the pod…”

She leaned in a bit deeper to clean the wires and restore the flow of power from the generator. She straddled the Admiral in order to get a more natural angle on her work. “’scuse me” she said absently more focused on her work than on propriety.

He leaned away from her shapely torso trying his best to be gentleman as she wriggled on his lap.

She asked of him “Please do let me know if you see the mama-bug. She’s harmless but rather gross.”

“If the maggots did too much damage, maybe you could pluck out some of the wires from the nonessentials.” he said focusing on the task at hand.  
Tara’s braid came undone and fell, thwacking Thrawn in the face. He reflexively reacted to it hitting his mouth with a “pfft”.

“Oh, she half looked over her shoulder. “Sorry! Just throw that anywhere. I-I-“ she reached farther into the panel “I’m sorry ‘bout that…” He was about to give her a few other things to look out for when he heard a zapzap sound. Tara let out a short screech and reflexively jerked back, bumping her head on the low cabin ceiling.

“Tara!” he yelled concerned she had electrocuted herself. He slid a hand around behind her, trying to steady her so she did not slip and hit her head again. When he saw her steady his hands went straight back to the arm rests.

She noted he had been gripping the arm rests the entire time. “Oof, I’m fine….Cept maybe for my pride” she said rubbing the back of her head. “I…I found the mama.” She folded up the multitool Thrawn had lent her and she handed it back to him. “I also finished. I think we can give it a go and see what works.”  
  
She settled back sitting forward on his lap as if it were a natural position to be in. Thrawn reached out and pressed a manual ignition button and the entire cabin lit up bright then immediately died again. After a bit of working and reworking, switching wires and a couple more attempts on the ignition button they got enough power routed toward the main interface and were able to divert power to the life support and communication systems.

On the bridge of the Chimaera Commodore Faro stood over Lomar’s shoulder at the comm station receiving and sending signals out to any of the pods that were recoverable.  
Lieutenant Commander Scott approached the Commodore as she returned to the Command Walkway to receive the report. “Commodore!” she saluted.

“Report, officer” acknowledged Faro.

Lt Commander Scott discreetly said “It seems that not all the pods made it to open space in time. Some were caught in the explosion, others were destroyed by debris. Additionally, after the governor returned onboard she reported that while the navigation and steering worked on her pod that many of the other systems did not. The scanning crew was correct. It seems they were a faulty batch of escape pods.”

“Did Pryce have any news on the Grand Admiral?” whispered Faro.

Scott replied in a whisper “Yes, she said he was in his own pod, and she believes he was secure before or just about the same time she was.”

The Commodore was relieved. “And the others in the party?”

“She did not say specifically, except for…” the officer looked down at her data pad. “She said that…Dr Mellun. That she perished in one of the latter blasts just before they boarded the pod.” Scott had tried to be quiet, but the crew still heard.   
  
The bridge fell oddly silent. The men and women at their stations slowed or stopped for a moment. They knew they could not mourn the girl now, and solemnly refocused their efforts on finding the Admiral.

Commodore Faro nodded solemly and after a deep breath she returned to her role. “Seinor Lieutenant Yve, have we heard yet from the deployed scanning crews?”  
  
“Commodore, the last update is still the same. There is a great deal of interference. The amount of debris is exacerbated with the nature of the station. So many materials in so many varying sizes is in addition to the untraditional fuel they had used for the generator floating out there is making it difficult to get a clear read on almost anything.”  
  
Faro looked at the tracking beam station. “Lieutenant Mithel? Have you had any more success in finding any of the remaining pods?”  
  
“I am trying, Commodore, but the debris…” he shook his head. “Similar situation to the scanning teams. If we could get a hold of any of them via a communications link I could piggyback off that signal to zero in on a pod. Then I could draw the debris, albeit slowly, away from the pods to get a clear grip on them. As it stands now…” he shrugged. “Rest assured I am doing my best, ma’am.”  
  
“Thank you, Lieutenant. The entire crew is doing their best.” She looked out the viewport “Doing our best may not be good enough. I need everyone to focus on results!”  
  
Back in the pod, Thrawn and Tara were looking at a small panel lit up in green lights. Tara typed in the comm codes that she knew to reach the bridge of the ISD. She then gestured for the Grand Admiral “Please, sir. I’m sure they’re all real eager to hear your voice” she smiled.  
He pressed a button and said “This is Grand Admiral Thrawn, Chimaera, do you read?” There was nothing but static. He gave another try.   
  
Everyone on the bridge of the ISD Chimaera froze as the voice of their leader boomed on the loud speaker. “This is Commodore Faro, Grand Admiral. Copy sir!” she said relieved.  
  
“Very good” said the Grand Admiral. “Our systems are running critically low. We only have our air and now tenuous communications. No heat. No navigation, nothing.”  
  
“Roger that, sir” said Faro “We have already prioritized retrieving your pod sir. Lomar is using this communcaitons to –  
  
“FOUND HIM!” blurted Lomar.  
  
“…to get a lock on your pod, sir. It may still take some time to extract you from the field of debris safely sir. An hour or two according to estimates.”  
  
“I see” said Thrawn. “As long as debris steers clear of our pod we shall do the best we can to wait for your assistance.”  
  
Just as Faro was about to ask who exactly was included in “we” Tara interrupted. “Don’t worry” Her voice a sweet contrast to the stern Admiral. “If we need some heat I can switch the wires and gets some heat instead of chatter with the bridge.” Ever gracious, Tara leaned in toward the comm unit and followed up with “Not that it isn’t heart warmin’ to be hearin’ your voice, Commodore!”  
  
“Dr Mellun!? Is that you?” she asked surprised to hear her voice again. Pleasant surprise and relief could be felt in the crew pits.  
  
“Why yes, of course, Commodore” said Tara. “Why I too would be surprised. I was just about to meet my maker when the Grand Admiral swooped in and saved me. He right scooped me up into his little pod at the last minute!”  
  
Commodore Far stood erect “I see, very good, ma’am” she said a broad smile. Major points for team Th-ara.  
  
Lomar looked up at Faro and he gave one slow nod with an approving grimace. He shot a glance across to the other pit where Captain Marinith met his eyes and scowled then shook his head with disapproval. Despite his opposition of Th-ara, he was just as relieved as anyone else and secretly happy that Dr Mellun was actually alive.  
  
“Well, hang in there, Dr Mellun. Rest assured we are doing everything in our power at the moment to extract both of you safely.”  
  
“Thank you, Commodore. Also, hello there Mr. Lomar! I know you’re listenin’!” she said cheerfully.  
  
“H-Hello Dr” he said a bit sheepishly.  
  
Thrawn took back control with “Yes, well, very good. Commodore I want quarterly updates on progress starting now with status of the other survivors.”  
  
“Of course, sir. Governor Pryce, Mr Salig and Ms Parck from the project team, as well as your guards have returned, and are all in medbay under observation and recovery. We are still searching for the rest. All of the survivors so far have described one problem or another with their escape pods.” The Commodore continued with updates on more technical matters and the status of the station. She also explained that while they had zeroed in on their location that Lieutenant Mithel was attempting to clear a path towards their pod with the tractor beam without creating too much disturbance.  
  
She explained “We don’t want to risk pushing debris into pods we have yet to find, sir.”  
  
“Of course” he said without hesitation. “Continue the good work, Commodore.”  
  
“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”  
  
Thrawn pressed the button to cease transmission. He looked at Tara and said “Well, doctor, I am hopeful for the rest of the team. I did see them all take off, so at the least they were not on the station when it finally blew.”  
  
“Yeah, about that…” said Tara. “I was all set to get onto the other pod with-“  
  
“I know” he said sternly cutting her off. “I have a feeling the Governor will make her way back to Lothal before I am able to meet with her again. We need to have a…” his jaw tightened and he cocked his head. ”conversation.”  
  
“I…” Tara felt the weight of the situation. “I just…Ok” she said. I’ll let them battle it out. Sounds like he has some other issue with her as well. “Heck of a day, huh?” she said trying to get him to look at her again.  
  
He half turned to her looking down into her green eyes. “Indeed.”  
  
On the bridge of the Chimera everyone sat in bated breath. The audio on the pod was still patched through and everyone was listening to this conversation.  
  
Commodore Faro remembered herself and walked over to the communications desk to chastise Lieutenant Lomar however it was out of his hands. Faro commanded “Lieutenant, alert the Admiral we can still hear them.”  
  
“I can’t” whispered Lomar. “They muted us, I have no control over it. But more importantly you can’t reach them to give your updates, Commodore. Also, I am afraid that if we try to correct it…”  
  
Faro nodded a grim understanding “With the way these damned pods are malfunctioning that we will lose our lock?”  
  
Lomar nodded. Pyrondi had casually joined Lomar at the comm station as did Lt Commander Scott.  
  
“Perhaps it is best just to turn down the volume” said Faro. “Reroute it to your console here.  
  
“Certainly, ma’am” said Lomar and immediately turned it low enough then opened the communication to his speakers only.  
  
Tara settled back on Thrawn’s lap facing forward finally feeling more secure. Now that she slipped out of survival mode she realized how very close she was to the Grand Admiral and tensed a bit. “Apologies, sir. This is…I am tryin’ to be polite, but…” She was very self-conscious noting how muscular his thighs were. _My god he’s strong._  
  
“As am I. We have limited options for movement here. It is most important we focus on the fact that we are secure” he said simply, seemingly nonplussed about being squashed in a pod with her, even though it was made for only one. His hands still gripped the arms of the seat.  
  
“It sure has been a rough day. It started out pleasant” she smiled weakly. “And now here I am, squishin’ you with my big bum. Chokin’ you with my stinky perfume” she said to herself. “My hair fallin in your mouth” she said with a half chuckle. The close quarters made any comments to solely to oneself impossible.  
  
“I did not ingest any of your hair” he said master of factly. His gaze was always intense, but she felt him studying her. Her face flushed. Finally he said “None of this was under your control. Additionally, your bum is in perfect proportion to the rest of your being.”  
  
On the bridge the team around the comm station all held their breath for her response. It was not Thrawn’s smoothest moment. Pyrondi and Scott looked at each other and then at Faro. Faro grimaced and shook her head. She whispered, revealing a rare glimpse of her personal feelings. “He can do better than that!”  
  
The other three nodded in agreement. Pyrondi and Scott smiled broadly realizing Faro, like them, was also team Th-ara.  
  
Tara’s eyes went wide completely uncertain of what to say or how to proceed. She happened to glance at a chrome dial and saw his expression, though a tad warped in the flat knob. His glowing gaze was searching around the cabin and then settled on the porthole. She felt his muscles stiffen slightly. _He’s embarrassed?_ He relaxed. _Perhaps not._ She felt pressured to say something. “Um…” _What do I say to that?_ “…good to know” she said. Then she giggled looking away trying to hide her amusement. _The Grandest Admiral in the fleet and I managed to put him in an awkward moment. Life sure is strange.  
_  
“Perhaps we should shift” he suggested.  
  
“Good idea” she said. “Don’t want us to end up with any muscle cramps.” Tara apologized again saying “This must be awful for a big strong man like you”.  
  
Lomar shook his head. He whispered “Flirting is just second nature to her.”  
  
Thrawn's voice came smooth, low and comforting. “I admit it is not ideal.” He shifted sideways and downward while she just moved into the empty space he left. He crouched down on the floor and she lifted up her feet onto the chair, wrapping her arms around her legs.  
  
Tara cocked her head as she looked down at Thrawn and said “I should have run back to the fresher before we departed to the station. I ran out of time though. I just wanted to prep the project team beforehand” she said with the regret of retrospect. “I’m not the best company today.”  
  
“Actually, doctor, this…” his red glowing eyes shifted their gaze around the pod “I thought the movement might be helpful, but it seems I…may have miscalculated.” He stood up and was forced to bend over her due to the low ceiling of the pod. He rested his hands on the wall behind the seat on either side of the open panel. His head had nowhere to go, but back right next to hers. His mouth being so close to her ear he whispered a reply “As to your presence here, I do not mind your company. In fact, I can think of no one else I would prefer with which to be stuck.”  
  
The whispers were not clear through the comm unit, but the crew around the comm station could pick out Thrawns words. Commodore Faro smirked and gave a short quick nod of approval. Pyrondi extended her hand in front of Lomar, who put his hand on top of hers, Scott, and then finally Faro followed suit. The Commodore leaned in and whispered “Team Th-ara!” Team Th-ara all smiled bounced their hands in unity then leaned back towards the comm speaker to listen in.  
  
Across the way Major Ayer, the Commander of the Stormtroopers onboard, met with Captain Marinith. They exchanged updates and the Captain spared an irritating glance over at the group around the comm unit and their quiet cheer. Others on the bridge didn’t hear what they said but had a good guess. The Major asked the Captain “Sir, what’s that about?”  
  
“They’re engaging in foolish daydreams. And at such a time as this is wholly inappropriate!” snapped the Captain, unable to prove and therefore unable to file any formal complaints.  
  
“What…what do you mean?” asked the Major uncertain what was happening, but still curious.  
  
The Captain leaned in and whispered “Team Th-ara nonsense.”  
  
The Major responded “Ah, yeah. Naw. I don’t see it at all. Not. At. All.”  
  
The captain nodded in confidence in his fellow military man.  
  
The Major lifted a hand to his mouth and whispered to the Captain “Team Thranto, sir!”  
  
The Captain looked shocked and then angrily went back to his datapad. “I’m surrounded by children!” he snapped.  
  
Thrawn’s comment made made Dr Mellun smile broadly. “Thank you, sir.” She caught his eye and let slip a heavy lidded glance. When the doctor had became marriageable age she had learned to draw her suitors in with just glance. It was no mere friendly smile, but a signal of willingness and an eager desire for their company. Emphasis on desire. It was a bold move. She broke off the glance when she saw a fleeting flash of shock in Thrawn’s eyes. _I guess he was not quite prepared for that. It is the look of a mature and self-possessed woman, not the naïve girl everyone sees me as._  
  
Thrawn turned his focus towards the back of the pod and after a few long quiet moments he leaned in towards her ear “As for your scent” he whispered “It is not that I do not enjoy l it, I just find it distracting.”  
  
She felt a bit heady. There was now a tension in the air and every movement added another layer to it “Oh…” _Distracting…? He never says directly what he means. What is he NOT saying. He’s not saying it’s bad…_  
  
“So…” he backed up and looked at her head on, and then moved over to her other shoulder, outright smelling her hair “…while on the bridge working, it is not ideal. Discussing one of your projects in my office, not ideal. But if we have time to enjoy each other’s company it is quite…” he nuzzled her neck, burying his face in portion of hair hanging loose at the base of her neck “…alluring.”  
  
She leaned her head away to expose her neck, uncertain of how else to signal in this cramped space she felt amenable to passing the time this way. She heard her own breath heavier and reached up and touched his chest surprised at how much of his lean musculature she could feel through the thin layers of cloth.  
  
The team around the comm unit on the bridge was leaning forward fully invested in this conversation. Their eyes darted around with eager questioning looks. Is this it!? They seemed to say to each other. They couldn’t see anything, and only heard the occasional sound of fabric and a bit of static and a scant few of the whispered words.  
  
Tara then felt him rest his lips on her neck and lightly brushed up and down taking in her scent. Not a quite a kiss, but an affectionate caress. He whispered “Perhaps we should arrange ourselves as we were before?”  
  
“Sounds good” she said quietly. They awkwardly shifted in the cramped space.  
  
The workers on the bridge listening to the shuffling of booted feet, and the rustling of uniform fabrics trying to imagine some romantic scene where the two fit perfectly together in the one cozy pod.  
  
Pyrondi, concentrating on the sounds whispered “Oh my stars, what is going on…”  
  
The Commodore whispered “He is a gentleman and she a lady. I doubt anything untoward.”  
  
Thrawn and Tara both twisted and contorted against the metal switches and knobs and handles until they were again arranged in the least uncomfortable position. She was back on his lap. She felt more confident this time and smiled. She wrapped her arms around his neck and instead of gripping the arm rest wrapped his arms around her waist.  
  
He smirked at her, drawing her close to his torso. Tara felt small and safe despite the aimlessly drifting path through space. It was a very precarious situation and while the air began to become colder the longer they were in the pod they both felt comforted by the warmth of each other’s bodies. He looked at her very intensely and for a moment Tara felt she was in over her head, but it soon changed to a feeling of excitement. She thought _He certainly is alien, not just a blue human_. There was a strangeness she suddenly found about him and she swallowed hard.  
His hands began to sooth her by rubbing her back and he rested one on her thigh. She tried to stifle a giggle but failed. She looked away and he brought her gaze back to his with a gentle finger on her chin. They just sat their looking in each others eyes. She felt brave enough finally to take in all the details of his irises. She noted there was just enough shadow and texture for the red irises to be distinguished from his red sclera and understood how it would be easy for those who don’t get close to him to think his eyes were simply glowing red orbs. She dropped her right hand to his chest again, next to his rank plaque. He took hold of that hand, pulled his gaze away from hers and pressed his lips to the back of her hand.  
  
Lt Commander Scott let out a tiny gasp at what she thought she heard. “That was most certainly a kiss!” she whispered excitedly. Team Thara leaned in close to the speaker to see if they could hear anything else.  
  
Tara smiled at the affectionate gesture. She fiddled with the hairs on the nape of his neck. He looked up at her and Tara saw his attention shift suddenly away. “What?” she asked a bit more breathless than she had anticipated.  
  
He said “The Commodore.” His eyes shifted out the window up at the Chimaera.  
  
Team Thara slumped back and Faro grimaced.

Tara slumped at the sudden change in his demeanor. “What about her?” a bit miffed another woman would be occupying his thoughts at a time like this.  
  
“She should have checked in by now” he said. He reached down and pressed what he thought was the call button. “Commodore? Where is my report?”  
  
Everyone at the comms console went rigid with discipline at the sound of their Grand Admiral’s commanding voice. “Sir, apologies, Grand Admiral! But it seems the pod has control over the transmission. We were unable to reach you sir.” Faro grimaced, showing her bottom teeth realizing he probably understood the situation and that they were not as alone and isolated as they thought.  
  
 _Everyone could hear us?_ Dr Mellun lost all color in her face knowing that everyone heard their private discussion. She could feel the physical tension in Thrawn’s entire body.  
  
“I see” he said simply, not skipping a beat. His voice betrayed nothing. “Well, my report, Commodore?” he asked shortly.  
  
Faro’s voice came over the tinny speaker “We are very close now to getting a hold on you, sir. The rest of the crew has been accounted for” she said somberly.  
  
Tara looked out the window and saw the debris moving away from the pod. “Look!” she said in awe of the invisible hand gently brushing debris and twisted metal away form their pod. She tried to look him in the eye to share that moment of relief, but he was focused on what the transmission with the Commodore.  
  
The pod holding the Grand Admiral came free from the cloud of debris and when Mithel called up to the Commodore “All clear, Commodore! It will be smooth sailing into the landing bay from here.” The bridge crew gave a quick cheer for the milestone.  
  
The pod jolted and clanked when the beam finally grabbed a hold of them. Thrawn wrapped his arms around her torso to secure Tara. She put one arm around his broad shoulders and the other onto a handle on the ceiling near her head. They started to move, very slowly, back towards the Chimaera. “Oh dear, he we go” she said a little nervous.  
Mithel called up to Faro “They should be in the landing bay in five minutes, ma’am”  
  
Scott put a finger to her ear as she received a communication from her earpiece. “Commodore, Dr Black and her team will have a medical team there waiting for them as a precaution.”  
  
With the Grand Admiral approaching the ship again, the Commodore became all business. She returned to the command walkway, oversaw a variety of details to coordinate and ensure the Grand Admiral’s safe return to his ship. She nodded in approval as everything came together. She looked to the comm station and asked “Grand Admiral-“  
  
“I heard, Commodore, many thanks” he said. She could hear the slight difference in his voice. The relief.  
  
Thrawn left the transmission open. He looked at Tara without expression, uncertain of how to take this new development forward. He gripped the arms of the chair, and not her body. His eyes then shifted out the window getting a look at the current love of his life, the Chimaera.  
  
Tara wanted to reach out and touch him, intertwine her fingers with his, feel the contours of his muscled physique, and the thump of his big strong heart underneath. But that wouldn’t happen right now, they had to land and figure out how to move forward in such uncertain times. She unwrapped her arm from behind him and placed her second hand on the handle overhead.  
He looked out the window observing the job his tractor beam tech was doing. Tara decided they needed to be on the same page of how to handle the possible rumors or attention they might receive.  
  
Tara looked at the comm unit and back at Thrawn. He ignored her glances and focused out the window. She felt a little daring, and slowly slid her hands over his shoulders and brought her lips close to his ear. She whispered “I get we need to be quiet.”  
  
He shuffled in his seat, uncomfortable with the thought someone might be watching them. He kept his eyes on the moving debris and simply nodded to her statement.  
  
She gave a gentle nibble on his blue earlobe and said “I’ll follow ya lead” She nuzzled his neck then whispered “Just don’t leave me hangin’.” She slid her hands back the way they came and back onto the overhead handle.  
  
He looked downward as he listened to her words and he gave her a simple controlled nod. That small gesture made Tara’s heart race with giddiness and girlish delight. _A secret love affair! Like in a romance novel! Oh, how excitin’!_  
  
Techs in the cavernous landing bay took over the beam and were able to bring the pod inside and gently rest it down on the ground. The clang of the cold metal on metal reminded Tara of where she was now. Back in the belly of the beast that was the Chimaera. She took a deep breath and pushed her feelings deep down inside. She wanted nothing to come out. She wanted to be happy and grateful to the crew who worked so diligently to bring them back safely.  
  
The Commodore was present to greet them along with a company of Stormtroopers. Inside the pod Tara slammed the manual release button to open the door. It hissed, opened several centimeters then froze. Tara was not amused and just dropped her head in defeat. Thrawn threw a sidelong glance, one last look at her, then a landing bay tech crew swarmed the pod and pried open the door.  
  
Tara popped out first looking worse for wear. She immediately tried to smooth out her hair and be more presentable. She could hardly look at anyone, wondering who heard the conversation. _What must they think of me? No…she realized. They’re all smiling at me._  
  
“Welcome back, Doctor” said Commodore with prim and proper smile. It moved from prim and proper to downright beaming.  
  
Tara blushed knowing the Commodore most certainly heard the conversation.   
  
“Thank you, kindly Commodore. That was really a clever solution and I am ever so grateful for it!” Tara said, putting her hand over her heart and bowing slightly to the Commodore. She found a large group had come to welcome the Grand Admiral back. Everyone’s gaze shifted, and so did their faces. They all stood at attention a bit stiffer and became serious focused soldiers and crew. She looked up at the Commodore who was all business again, looking towards the pod as well.  
  
Thrawn emerged, his face without emotion, cool and calm as always. You would never know that he had been through the situation from which he just emerged. He simply picked up where he left off. The Commodore snapped to attention and greeted him “Welcome aboard Grand Admiral!”  
  
He nodded at her “Thank you, Commodore-“ he stopped his response when he realized everyone in the landing bay had lined up in two parallel lines. Everyone was standing at attention.  
“Grand Admiral?” asked Tara, her lilting voice making his title sound like a little song. He turned his imperious gaze down on her as he clasped his hands behind his back. She said “Dr Black is over here…”  
  
He nodded at her and they walked together off to the side where Dr Black and her assistant droid were waiting to examine them. Dr Black scanned them and asked them simple questions and they were back on their way. Dr Mellun fell a couple steps behind the Commodore and the Grand Admiral as they headed towards the exit of the landing bay and entrance to the lift.  
  
Thrawn stood aside and gestured for the ladies to enter first then stepped in and turned around. The ride was silent. Faro and Mellun stood behind Thrawn and exchange a knowing smile and nod. Something occurred to Dr Mellun and she said “Oh, sir, I think I’d like to head to my quarters first to clean up before the briefing.”  
  
He looked over his shoulder at her, no expression, as usual, and gave her half a nod. Faro left the elevator to transfer to a different lift to the bridge. Tara stuttered “Uh…if you could hit the button for-”  
  
“You will come with me” he said stepping back to stand next to her. He looked down at her, is eyes sweeping her up and down with no masking his thoughts. More quietly he said “I have private bathing facilities in my quarters.”  
  
“Oh!” her eyes went wide and she smiled as her cheeks burned red.  
  
“If that is alright with you?” he asked a bit tense realizing it was rather forward.  
  
“More than alright, sir” she said, batting her eyelashes.  
  
They arrived at the Admiral’s suite and the stormtrooper on duty at the entrance requested Tara’s code cylinder.  
  
After the doors opened Thrawn leaned and quietly said “Trooper I need Dr Mellun’s independent access to my quarters expanded. And please be discreet about the request.”  
  
“Uh…yes sir” he said a bit taken aback, but absolutely loyal to the Admiral and respected his privacy.

Thrawn and Tara entered the secured area, and the trooper turned around watched The Grand Admiral take Dr Mellun’s hand in his in a gentle affectionate manner as the door closed behind them.  
  
The trooper settled back in his place and shook his head. “Well I’ll be. I coulda sworn Thranto was going to win out.”  
  
The End


End file.
